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      August 16-18th '99 
                 Turn on your speakers
        <bgsound src="TheDistance.mid" loop=1>-PLAY SOUND
      On August 16th I woke up in COLORADO SPRINGS
   Colorado. I left the hotel about 4:30am. I
   found a Denny's to have breakfast. I finished
   just before sunrise. I drove around for almost
   an hour before I found some postcards to buy.
     Finally I began my eastward drive at 6:30 am
   on Rte.24 ,with the Rocky Mountains behind me.
     At 11 am I entered the state of Kansas for
   the first time ever. It was a very hot and
   sunny day. At about 4pm I stopped in SALINA
   for fuel.  There is much road improvement work
   being done on I-70 throughout the state.A lot
   of new pavement. At 7pm I reached TOPEKA and
   had an italian dinner. Trip Mileage: 5230
   I stayed overnight but
   did not get much sleep as the hotel is located
   next to a highway interchange.
     On Tuesday morning I woke up and got back on
   I-70 before sunup. Before even leaving Topeka,
   I ran into a complete shut down of I-70 on the
   N.E. end of town. All traffic was diverted
   through town to the turnpike on the south side.
     Finally I reached KANSAS CITY, and then the
   State of Missouri. I-70 in Missouri is very
   bad. It is a bumpy pothole patchwork from hell.
   At 10 am I stopped in COLUMBIA for gas and a
   quick breakfast.At 11:42 am I reached the west
   suburbs of ST.LOUIS. About 2pm I sent my last
   e-mail update. I drove around the suburban
   St. Louis. area's of Maryland Hght.,Overland.,
   University City and Olivette before returning
   to the hotel at 6pm. Trip mileage :5581
      On Wednesday August 18 I left the Hotel at
   about 4 am. I had planned to see the Gateway
   Arch and had 15 miles to travel to reach it. I
   wanted to be there before the morning work
   traffic clogged the roadways. I reached the
   Arch at 4:45 am, 105 minutes before sunrise. I
   drove around the block a few times, and shot
   some video. I found a parking garage and drove
   up to the upper most level. There I found a
   spot where I could watch the sun, rise behind
   the Arch. At 6:40 am I began to leave
   St. Louis. At 6:50 I was on a bridge driving
   east over the Mississippi River on I-55 and
   into Illinois.  At 12:15 pm I was on I-355
   northbound. My trip was almost over. I had
   driven 5900 miles and traveled through 11
   states.


                          Below are photos of the final days

       Click H                    Picture                   File Size
        Large  Rte.24 Colorado Springs         208 KB (1506x387)

   
            ^ small ^

    466-04        Colorado > Kansas
    

      BOSSELMAN
      TRUCK PLAZA
      I 70 
      SALINA KS
      67401
      
      STATION #GAS
 
       CUSTOMER RECEIPT
      09/16/99 15:49:41

      DISP. # 2
        9.620 GAL
      SUP @1.249
      FUEL SALE   $12.02

      CASH        $12.02

    Salina      Gas   Reciept    

    Pstcrd             I-70   Kansas      
    

                       DAYS INN OF TOPEKA
                     1510 SW WANAMAKER ROAD
                      TOPEKA, KANSAS 66604
   
   TIME CHECKED IN..19:32
    _______________________________________
    August 17th: 
     DATE      08/17/99
     TIME      10:12 AM


     PUMP   PRODUCT  PRICE
      01     PLUS   $1.249

      GALLONS       TOTAL
       10.405       $13.00

            TEXACO
     System  3 Gasolines
    ^ Gas Reciept ^   Columbia , MO.

   466-05      102 Miles to St.Louis    
   

    mssgD18         e-mail Augst. 17      

    466-06           Red Roof Inn      
   

    466-08         Gateway Arch          
   

    466-09-10-           Arch        
 

     M A P           MAP             121 KB

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